wieder-

See also: wieder and Wieder

German

Etymology

Adverb wieder used as particle in verb compounds.

Pronunciation

  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: wie‧der-
  • IPA(key): /ˈviːdəʁ/, [ˈviːdɐ]
  • Homophone: wider-

Prefix

wieder-

  1. Used to form separable verbs
    1. expressing a return to or renewal of a previous state; re-, again
      wieder- + ‎wählen (to elect) → ‎wiederwählen (to reelect)
      wieder- + ‎aufbauen (to construct, to build) → ‎wiederaufbauen (to rebuild)
      wieder- + ‎finden (to find) → ‎wiederfinden (to find again, to recover)
    2. expressing a return to a previous location or into someone's possession; re-, back
      Synonym: zurück-
      wieder- + ‎geben (to give) → ‎wiedergeben (to give back)
      wieder- + ‎kommen (to come) → ‎wiederkommen (to return, to come back)
    3. (dated) expressing a reciprocal or returned action
      Synonym: zurück-
      wieder- + ‎grüßen (to greet) → ‎wiedergrüßen (to return a greeting)
      wieder- + ‎lieben (to love) → ‎wiederlieben (to return someone's love)

Usage notes

  • wieder- can combine even with verbs that already have another prefix. However, when separated from the verb by the word order, the prefixes do not remain merged. wiederaufbauen as the finite verb in a main clause becomes "Wir bauen es wieder auf", not *"Wir bauen es wiederauf".
  • The prefix is largely unproductive in modern usage. Outside of lexicalized or established uses, wieder is typically used as a regular adverb instead.
  • As with mit-, adverbials of direction are likely to interject between prefix and verb, forcing a separation. "wenn er nach Hause wiederkommt" is more idiomatically phrased as "wenn er wieder nach Hause kommt".
  • All verbs with wieder- are separable, with the singular exception of wiederholen specifically in the sense of "to repeat".

Derived terms

See also

References

  • wieder-” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache